Man attacked shopper who stopped aisle bike boys

A man who attacked a shopper for stopping a group of boys riding bikes around a supermarket has been jailed for a year and a half.

Stuart Scott, 45, punched the victim more than 20 times after being falsely told the man had assaulted the youths who were terrorising shoppers in Sainsbury's in Heaton, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

The victim, who was left with a broken rib and fractures to spinal vertebrae, said he would still intervene in the future to stop anti-social behaviour.

Scott, who had a history of violence, admitted causing grievous bodily harm.

The victim was shopping at about 18:00 BST on 22 June when he saw four or five youths riding bikes along the supermarket aisles, prosecutor Ian Windridge said.

Fearing they would hit an elderly person or child, the man intervened and grabbed two of the bikes, causing the youths to fall off, the court heard.

He refused to give the bikes back and said they would be held until police arrived, the court heard.

A member of staff took the bikes but left them near the store entrance from where the boys were able to retrieve them, Windridge said.

One of the youths falsely told Scott, of Craythorne Gardens in Heaton, the man had assaulted two of the boys, prompting Scott to immediately begin attacking the victim, the court heard.

He punched him about the head and body 22 times, including while the victim was laid curled on the floor, the court heard.

One of the youths also joined in by kicking the man, the court heard, with the boy to be sentenced by a youth court at a future date.

The victim said he "genuinely feared for [his] life" during the assault, which Recorder Rebecca Brown said was an "entirely justified" feeling.

After staff intervened, Scott "strode" away, the court heard.

The victim was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary where he was found to have a broken rib and fractures to bones attached to his spine, as well as multiple bruises and swelling.

The court heard he missed eight weeks of work as a result.

But in a statement read to the court, the man said he would "take the same actions" should the "situation occur again", adding: "All it takes is for good people to do nothing."

The court heard Scott had previous convictions for producing cannabis, handling stolen goods and driving offences.

In December 2024 he was jailed for 24 weeks suspended for 18 months for violence against a woman, the court heard, with that order expiring just 12 days before the supermarket attack.

Brown said that should have served as a warning but it was obviously not a "significant deterrent" for Scott.

She said the supermarket attack was "shocking" and Scott acted impulsively through "anger".

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